WRITING A RESUME

PURPOSE OF RESUME

A well-written and nicely designed resume is one of the most commonly accepted ways to introduce yourself to an employer.

The resume is designed to do the following:

• State your career objective.

• Introduce your qualifications and experience.

• Show an employer what makes you the best candidate.

• Gain enough interest to get an interview.

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TYPES OF RESUME INFORMATION

There is more than one way to prepare for an effective resume. The format can vary from individual to individual and from career to career. However, all effective resumes have some common elements. You need two types of information to prepare your resume.

• Personal Information
  • job skills and talents you possess
  • work experience
  • education
  • career goals
  • honors and/or awards you've received
  • activities with which you've been involved
  • names and addresses of references
• Job Information
  • description of the job for which you're applying
  • education and experience required
  • hours and shifts usually worked
  • pay range

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KINDS OF RESUMES

There are two widely used formats for organizing resumes.

• Chronological
  • List most recent job first, second most recent job next, etc.
  • Give employment dates and duties for each job.
  • List educational experience beginning with most recent.
• Functional
  • Describe skills, abilities, and accomplishments that relate to the job for which you're applying.
  • De-emphasize employment history by omitting detailed job descriptions of each job.

Of the two formats, the chronological is most preferred by employers.

What kind of resume should you use?

Answer the following questions:

• Have you progressed up a clearly defined career ladder?
• Are you looking for advancement in a particular field?
• Do you have recent experience at one or more companies?

If your answer to any of the above questions is yes,
use a chronological resume.

• Do you want to emphasize your work skills and accomplishments instead of describing your job duties?
• Do you have little or no experience?
• Do you have gaps in your work history?
• Are you applying for a job in a new field?

If your answer to any of the above questions is yes,
use a functional resume.

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COMPONENTS OF A RESUME

While no two resumes are necessarily alike, most resumes contain the common elements described below.

• Personal
  • List your name, address, and telepone number

• Career Objective
  • State specifically the kind of job you're seeking.
  • Be concise (one sentence and/or two lines at the most).
  • Ask yourself, "What kind of job do I want? What am I qualified for? What skills do I possess?"
  • Tailor your career objective to the position for which you're applying.

• Education
  • List most recent educational achievements first.
  • Include degree earned (or program currently enrolled in).
  • Date degree was earned (or expected graduation date).
  • Include school name and location (city and state).
  • Include major area of study (and minor if applicable).
  • List GPA only if 3.0 or above
  • List relevant courses (e.g., accounting)--this is optional.
  • Do not include high school information unless you feel strongly that it strengthens your candidacy.(e.g., you gained three years of experience at a career center, etc.)

• Work Experience
  • List all jobs. Provide details about the ones that are relevant to the position you're seeking. Include all transferable skills that might apply to the job you want.
  • Begin with the most recent.
  • Include position title, dates held (month and year).
  • Include name of company and location (city and state).
  • List your major responsibilities (if using chronological format).
  • Describe your job duties by using action verbs such as communicated, computed, developed, improved, managed, served, etc. (More are listed at the end of this section.)

• Honors/awards
  • List honors or awards that strengthen your candidacy.
  • References.
  • List names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three individuals who will give you a favorable report.
  • Ask permission before listing someone as a reference.

As you think about what you plan to include in your resume, keep in mind that most employers prefer a one-page resume. However, some people find that they can't give a well-rounded introduction to their skills, experience, and other qualifications in a one-page resume. If that's the case, then two pages are acceptable with the following guidelines:

• Try not to have a page break in the middle of a section.
• Include reference information on the second page.
• Put the heading with your name and contact information on both pages.

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WHAT NOT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME

As you gather information for your resume, certain information needs to be omitted selectively. For example, information regarding your height, weight, marital status, physical health, age, religion, etc., should not be included. This information may be required on certain application forms, but there is no reason to include it on your resume. Most companies follow strict non-discrimination guidelines and may toss out resumes containing too much personal information!

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TEN TIPS FOR THE EFFECTIVE RESUME

• Print your resume on a high-quality printer, using standard size high-quality paper.
• Do not include irrelevant personal information (age, weight, height, marital status, etc).
• Do not include salary and wages.
• Organize the information under helpful headings.
• Be positive; identify accomplishments.
• Use action verbs (see list below).
• Be specific; use concise sentences; keep it to one page if possible.
• Make sure your resume is neat and readable, with NO spelling errors.
• Proofread carefully; have someone else proofread it also.
• Inspect photocopies for clarity, smudges, and marks.

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MORE ACTION VERBS

--When describing your current job, be sure to use present tense.

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